Published by: World Tibet Network News, Thursday - June 19, 1997

BEIJING, June 18 (AFP) - China on Wednesday criticized plans to open a representative office for the Dalai Lama in Taiwan, saying the Tibetan spirtual leader was attempting to create a _stronghold" there.

The official Xinhua news agency warned the Taiwanese government against helping the Dalai Lama open the office, saying such action would _only show its support for the Dalai Lama clique to continue the activities to split the motherland."

China and Taiwan have been separated since the end of the civil war in 1949 and Beijing continues to view the island as a renegade province.

The Chinese army invaded Tibet in 1951 and the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since the failure of an anti-Chinese revolt in 1959.

Xinhua, quoting a Chinese government official, said the Dalai Lama's plans to open an office in Tibet was aimed at establishing a _stronghold" there.

_It will certainly be strongly opposed by the entire Chinese people," the report said.